About Solar One

Solar One is a 501(c)(3) organization that empowers communities in the New York City metro area to thrive in the face of the challenges brought on by climate change and to embrace a world that is low carbon, resource efficient, and socially inclusive. Solar One's mission is to design and deliver innovative education, training, and technical assistance that fosters sustainability and resiliency in diverse urban environments. Solar One's Here Comes Solar program provides solar technical assistance to expand access to the benefits of solar energy among communities of color and low- and moderate- income residents throughout NYC.

Internship Details

  • Hybrid internship program with 15-18 hours required per week
  • Paid internship - $17/hr.
  • Flexible schedule to accommodate for student s
  • Start date: Preferably beginning of January 2024
  • End date: May 2024 (with the possibility to extend through the summer.) 

 

Eligibility

  • Students currently enrolled in a college or university within New York; or
  • A New York State resident having attended a college or university within New York between 2023-2024

 

Internship Description

As the Solar Minority and Women Owned Business Capacity Building Intern, you will provide critical research support for a project that studies how solar career pathways are catalyzed, with a special focus on advancing equity and capacity building for MWBE businesses (Minority- and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise). New York is experiencing strong solar employment growth; however, according to the National Solar Jobs Census published by The Solar Foundation, the solar workforce is still 72% white and 70% male. This suggests that people of color and women are not advancing into the sector.

Here Comes Solar (HCS), the technical assistance arm of Solar One, is developing a suite of resources and trainings to help increase the participation of people from disadvantaged communities in the solar industry, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that current and newly developed MWBE-certified businesses find success in the New York solar industry. As the Solar MWBE Capacity Building Intern, you’ll become an integral member of Solar One’s HCS team by conducting research, developing resources, and participating in interviews, as well as other activities that support Solar One’s capacity-building work.

Internship Responsibilities

·       Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to produce memos on what current resources are available from government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other institutions to support capacity-building for MWBE businesses in New York

·       Organize and participate in interviews with leading MWBE experts and businesses to bolster our programming

·       Help develop a resource tool kit to support the efforts of current and emerging MWBE businesses who aspire to become qualified solar installers

·       Assist in the planning and development of a technical assistance curriculum for MWBE businesses by conducting research and participating in active discussions with HCS team members and project partners

·       Participate in weekly team meetings, complete mentorship activities, and attend events

  • Complete a culminating project that illustrates internship experience

 

Qualifications

  • Students currently enrolled in a college or university within New York; or
  • A New York State resident having attended a college or university within New York between 2023-2024
  • Relevant experience in project and data management in relation to Environmental Justice or clean energy 
  • Strong leadership and organizational skills
  • Strong communication skills including in-person, email, phone, and video conferencing etiquette
  • Excellent creative problem-solving ability
  • Knowledge and appreciation of New York City’s many neighborhoods and diverse communities

 

Solar One is an equal opportunity employer. Solar One strives to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of renewable energy and resilience and people in a rapidly changing world. Solar One recruits and employs through a lens of equity and encourages people of all races, religions, creeds, national origins, ancestries, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law to apply.

 

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